Roma and Arsenal target Belotti offered huge contract to remain at Torino

Martin Macdonald

29 Jul 2021 12:20 BST
5 min read

Roma and Arsenal have suffered a blow in their pursuit of Andrea Belotti as Torino's president has revealed details of a new contract on the table for the Italy striker.

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Belotti has been tipped for a transfer away from Torino for a few years now, but has remained at the club, continuing to bang in the goals.

In terms of goalscoring he is actually coming off his worst season in three years as he found the back of the net 13 times in Serie A in 2020/21, compared to 16 and 15 the previous two campaigns, though he did register more assists.

Roma are on the lookout for a new centre-forward this summer as a long-term replacement for Edin Dzeko, who actually came close to leaving the club in January and is now 35 years old.

Jose Mourinho is a fan of Belotti, and has asked the Roma hierarchy to negotiate a deal with Torino.

Arsenal, meanwhile, are looking to sell Alexandre Lacazette so would need a replacement, with Belotti being targeted.

The 27 year old currently has one year left on his deal with Torino which has put the Serie A side in a difficult position as they will be forced to sell him this summer if they cannot convince him to extend his stay.

Goal reports that he is being offered €4 million per season to remain a Torino player, with president Urbano Cairo admitting the club will need to look at a solution if the offer is rejected.

“When he returns, then we'll talk to him," Cairo told Tuttomercatoweb.

"We have already made him a proposal that is very big for our financial capabilities.

"After that, if he does not accept the offer, then we will evaluate other things. I don't like to negotiate via the newspapers, but I will say we made an important offer.

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"We'll see what happens, we have a month to close a deal or do something else."

Belotti to Juventus?

Another club that Belotti has previously been linked to is, surprisingly, Torino's city rivals Juventus.

Cairo has said that will "never" happen, though.

"Juventus and Belotti? I have not had any kind of approach with Juventus in this regard," Cairo told Tuttosport.

"And, even if they ask me, never in life. Juve, we're not joking."

Roma are reportedly preparing an offer of around €20m for the Italy international, but Torino will hold out for at least €10m if they are to entertain the idea of him leaving the Olimpico di Torino.